Improvement in the construction of tunnels and dams



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Ln-Wis'uonen. `or onrea'oo, innlnors.`

Letters Pate1zt-No. 103,028, ddterl'May 17, '1870; antedatefl May 14, 187i).l

IMPROVEMENT :Nam: CONSTRUCTION or' TUNNELS AND DAMS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same .drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon which form a part of 'the specification.

. The nature of my invention consists in having iron plates, curved opdat, joined and secured at the edges, by means of rounds and grooves, or by dovet-ails, and bolted together at the ends through ears made thereon, as the basis upon whichto construct said tunnels, dams.y 86e.

VFigure l represents luy horizontal plates in a curved form, to be used for tunnels and arches, the plates being connectedat the edges by means of' rounds'aud grooves, as seen at A;

Figure 2, B represents the ears. on two adjoining plates, for connecting them together;

Figure '3 represents my iron plates for dains, dykes, Spc., fastened by means of duvet-ail joints..v

Figure 4 is Va perspective view of iron plates, tofbe 'used for the angles ot' structures.

'Ioenable others skilled inthe art to construct and erect luy-invention, I will proceed to describe thel saine in all its parts and combinations.

For constructing tunnelsunderia water-course, I make a coder-dam, in thensnal. manuel', by' a series of piles and planking, having snieient space `between the lines to be filled with material for artificial stone or any other covering, rand extending sufficiently deep into hard bottom to 'protect against caving in whe-n the excavations for the tunnel-work have been made.

I use the same formation `for levees, docks, piers, &c., using iron` piling, when necessary, for greater strength, and to prevent ground-burrowing animals,4 suoli as mnskrats, Ste., from penetrating through the embankments, and for erecting walls Ato prevent an i overfiow of water on low lands from sea or river, cn-

abling natural evaporation to make it dry land.

The iron plates for tunnels and arches are made with a round or bead on one. edge, and Aa hollow or groove on the other, as shown in figfl, so that the round, being slid intol the hollow, as shown more clearly in fig. 2, they are held firmly in place, and cannot be separated after they have been bolted through the'ears B in fig. 2.

For dams, dykes, levees, 35e., I- use dat plates, as shown in figs. 3 and 4. I jointhe plates by dovetailjoints, shown, extend Vthem inline, or, where necessary, form angles with them, bolting them through eals, tho same as I do my' eurvcd.piatcs.

For extending in line, the dovetails are made on the edges, as shown by C and D in Iig. 3, and for forming angles, theyare made on the edge and side, as shown at E and F in tig, 4.

By means of the rounds .or beads and hollows or grooves and dvetail-joints, I-,obviate all use of bolts,

and prevent all'springing or` separating of the plates. v

On thc plates for tunnelsand arches, the round and hollow allow of increase or decrease of the length ot`- the arc,-aiways desirable, without endangering ther strengthV of the structure. As each plate has the round on one edge and the hollow on the other, they.

may be used in anyplace with equa-l success., As the ends of the various plates are held together by bolts through ca rs cast ormade thereon, any one-sec tion` may be removed at will.-

` To facilitate the placing ofthe plates forarchcs ortun I nels, -Ir construct a centering,.of thereqnired size of the arch or tunnel, mountcdon wheels, and also on jackscrews. I raise this centering to the proper height, and

place the plates on it. IVh'en the plates have been laidA and bolted, 'I lower the centering by meansof the jack-screws, andrun 'it-along' for another section, then eleva-teit and proceed as before.

Overmy iron. work I lay a course otartilicial stone,

-well pressed down, in sacks or bags. I cover this' with dirt and stone, well puddled and tamped, and over this a layer of plank, like the planking of a vessel, and cover this with asphaltum, or pine orcoaltar. I put the ends of my timbers, to which I bolt my plank, suliiciently deep in the hed of the river, that anchors dragging cannot 'catch the edge of the planking.

For dams, dykes, dto., I use my dat plates as piles, uniting the sections as above, standing the end of one section upon that of another.

The area iuclosed by my iron piling I fill in with material for artliicial stone put down in sacks, and then tamp it. I thus make asolid stone work, with'l a front without craeksfo1jcement to work out.

Having thus fully described my invention,

W'hat I claim as new, and desire to secure hy Iletters Patent, is-" Ihe iron plates and H, with -round or groove joints A and the dovetail joints G I) E F, andthe ears B, constructed, arrangcd and combined as and for the purpose hereiubet'oie set forth.

In testimony whereof Il have signed my name toV this specification in the presence of two subscribing` witnesses.

LEWIS DODGE.

Witnesses: A

DANIEL L. Boom, Hanru C. PAYNE. 

